Let them shout for joy and be glad, who favor my righteous cause; and let them say continually, “Let the LORD be magnified, Who has pleasure in the prosperity of His servant.”

This psalm says it clearly—God is pleased when you are blessed. The Revised Standard Version translates this verse this way, God delights in the welfare of His servant.

In Luke 12, when talking about God meeting our practical, physical, and material needs, Jesus says, “Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.”

You do not need to somehow convince God to meet your needs. In fact, God desires to bless you.

It is like the son who felt his father had not provided for him when his dad passed away. His father left one sibling some property, another one some valuable stock, and all the son got was a box of what looked to him like junk.

One day, because of financial trouble, the son had to move out of his apartment. As he cleaned things out, he found the box of junk he had thrown in the back of a closet. Noticing there were some stamps and trading cards in the box, he decided to see if they were worth anything.

It turned out the trading card collection was filled with rare baseball cards in mint condition. And every one of the stamps was very rare—very valuable. The combined appraisal of the two collections was over $450,000!

His father had provided for him, but the son had lived far below those privileges because he didn’t believe his father had blessed him!

Our heavenly Father delights in, He takes pleasure in, the prosperity of His servant. And that means you!

Living a true Christian life sure ain’t easy… Before I became a reborn Christian I wasn’t so much aware of the fact I was making mistakes all the time, I even thought I did pretty good……compared to others.

Now that I started a new life with Jesus and building a personal relationship with Him my perception of being a true Christian was turned upside down.

It’s not about living a good life, but the secret is:

Acknowledging that in comparison with Jesus you will ALWAYS fall short

Accepting the fact that He took the blame and punishment for all our big-, small-, past-, present- and future failures….and we all make them, no exceptions!

After I gave my life to Jesus I didn’t want to have any additional guilt on my account and no more additional reasons for His crucifixion, but I gave up, today I’m doing better than tomorrow and tomorrow will be better than today, but I guess it’ll take a lifetime to even get close to the lifestyle Jesus led.

I thank Him for also taking the blame for all my future mistakes and making me realize that eternity without Jesus is eternity in Hell

Grasping this gives freedom, freedom from sin, freedom from guilt, freedom from condemnation and grows the love for God because of what He’s done for me and for all mankind, because He loves us and longs to have a relationship with us….

What’s the purpose of living a Christian lifestyle? Choosing to make Jesus Christ the Lord of our life changes our lifestyle dramatically. Friendships, activities, and even health issues receive careful evaluation. While we formulate reasons for the way we live our Christian lives, God’s purpose for our lives never changes.

To remain connected to God through Jesus Christ (John 15:4–8). A life that’s cut off from God withers and dies — physically as well as spiritually. God desires to reproduce His Son’s life through our fruitfulness.

To remain faithful through persecution and to resist false doctrine (2 Timothy 3:12–17). The apostle Paul expected situations to become worse as worldly pressures increased. Our testimony and knowledge of the Scriptures arm us against any deceivers or deceptive ideals.

To present the Good News to a lost world (Mark 16:15-16; 1 Timothy 6:12) Like an athlete or soldier, we present our best efforts to further the faith. Our transformed lives compel us to share the Gospel’s impact not just for our “today,” but for our eternity.

Christian Lifestyle – Rules
Are there specific guidelines that constitute a Christian lifestyle? From theologian to theologian, any “lifestyle” list would differ. Drinking, movies, music, dancing, politics, fashion, education . . . to what degree do we shape our choices so we maintain a Christian lifestyle? “Do not copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will know what God wants you to do . . .” (Romans 12:2).

For one year A.J. Jacobs attempted to obey more than 700 rules and prohibitions found in the Bible. At the end of one year he confessed, “I started the year as an agnostic, and now I am a reverent agnostic.” A Christian lifestyle should never become a list of rules. We must take our attention off mandates and focus on the Man. To paraphrase, “What did Jesus do?”

Christian Lifestyle – Inside Out
What are the outward and inward evidence of a Christian lifestyle? You can present an outward appearance of holiness daily and still serve as a poor Christian witness (Matthew 23:27-28). To live as a Christian requires having the character of Christ. A transformation must occur, as a result of the Holy Spirit’s indwelling (Galatians 5:24-25).

When we truly practice a Christian lifestyle, the inward evidence becomes obvious. God’s glory and power pours out upon all those around us. Our faith in the midst of turmoil flows from a heart given to a loving Father. Every breath carries words of compassion and affirmation to a hurting world. Those who live the Christian lifestyle live a confident life on the inside and outside.

“This High Priest [Jesus Christ] of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same temptations we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it” (Hebrews 4:15-16).

…you know,…I just had to write to tell you…how much I love you and care for you….Yesterday, I saw you walking and laughing with your friends. I hope that soon you want me to walk along with you too……so I painted you a sunset to close your day and I whispered a cool breeze to refresh you…I waited… you never called… …I just kept on loving you.As I watched you fall asleep last night, I wanted to touch your heart……I spilled moonlight on your face, trickling down your face as so many tears have… …I wanted so much to comfort you…The next day I exploded a brilliant sunrise into a glorious morning, …for you!!But you woke up late and rushed off to work, you didn’t even notice… My sky became cloudy and my tears were the rain… I really love you!I tried to say it in the quiet of the green meadow and in the blue sky.The wind whispers my love throughout the tree tops and spills it into the vibrant colors of all the flowers.I shouted to you in the thunder of the great waterfalls and I composed love songs for birds to sing for you.I warm you with my sunshine and perfume the air with natures sweet sent.My love for you is deeper than any ocean, greater than any need in your heart, if you only realized how I care.My dad sends his love, I would like you to meet him… He cares too, fathers are just that way… So please, call on me soon, no matter how long it takes… I’ll wait, … because….:your friend,Jesus

Easter… the time Christians remember Jesus rose from the grave, overcame death and defeated satan and by doing so opening the way for mankind to have a relationship with God through His sacrifice….. but did Jesus really rise from the dead? What if he didn’t and the story as we read it in the Bible is nothing but a fraud??!!

The resurrection of Jesus is the major cornerstone of all Christianity. If He didn’t raise from the grave, all we believe in is worthless, there is no forgiveness, no redemption and no salvation.

This is why the greatest deceiver of all times, satan, in the past, and still, is trying to move people away from believing Jesus rose from the grave in the physical realm…

His objective is obvious… it’s the battle for the souls of this fallen world. Keeping faith in what the Bible says, holding on to that believe, and spreading it should be our main goal in life…. the rest is only temporary…

Hal Lindsey explains how some of the greatest minds in history have studied the resurrection and declared it one of the most established facts by best evidence of any fact in history.

A number of people have asked me to comment on the Haitian earthquakes. Our local Sunday paper even had a collection of comments from local pastors about why all of this happened. Their responses ranged from “God did it” to “Satan did it” to “who knows who did it.”
There appears to be a lack of clear understanding about why things like this happen. This isn’t limited to the Haitian earthquakes either. The same thing happened with hurricanes Rita and Katrina and the terrorists attacks of 2001. It also happens on a daily basis with our individual lives. People struggle to understand why bad things happen.Certainly bad things happen on an individual basis because of our poor choices. God gave us the choice between life and death, blessing and cursing (Deuteronomy 30:19). And sadly, the vast majority of people are making choices that give the devil dominion over them (John 10:10). In order to avoid Satan’s devices against us, we have to submit ourselves to God and resist the devil (James 4:7).

And there are scriptural examples of God bringing judgment on a nationwide scale because of the sins of people. Classic examples of this are the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah and Noah’s flood.

BUT…there was a HUGE change in the way God deals with people after Jesus died for our sins. Jesus bore our sins and all of God’s wrath against them (John 12:32). And this doesn’t only apply to believers. First John 2:2 says Jesus, “is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.”So, God isn’t personally judging nations today for their sins. He judged Jesus for our sins.

That doesn’t mean that it doesn’t matter how we act. It does. When we act in an ungodly manner, it makes us subject to Satan’s control (Romans 6:16). The devil wants to devour everyone (1 Peter 5:8) but he can’t do anything to us without our consent and co-operation.

I’m sure the fact that Haiti’s national religion is voodoo is a factor in their poverty and social issues that made the devastating effects of these earthquakes even more severe. But I don’t think the devil has the power to cause the earthquake.

There are just natural things that happen in a fallen world. And I think the earthquakes in Haiti were just the natural results of tectonic plates rubbing against each other. It was just natural. Those who are submitted to God have supernatural help to deal with life in a fallen world and those who don’t have a relationship with the Lord find how limited their natural abilities really are. But this wasn’t a direct result of sin or the judgment of God.

I could spend a lot of time justifying that statement but let me simply say, if you think this is God’s judgment on those people, then you are totally wrong to try and help them. If God is punishing them, get out of the way and let them learn their lesson.Of course, I don’t believe anyone would agree with that approach, and that is not what I’m advocating. Therefore, I think it’s inconsistent to see this as an act of God and yet intervene in a way that would thwart God’s purposes by giving aid to the Haitians.

Blaming God for this tragedy has turned some people against God. I read one account of a woman walking by a pile of burning bodies and she took the Bible out of her purse and threw it in the fire. But God didn’t cause this nor allow it. Therefore, it is compassionate to reach out to those who have been hurt (1 John 3:17).

When Adam and Eve sinned, they plunged the whole world into sin. This not only includes mankind but the animal creation and the natural world. Animals were originally herbivores but now they are carnivores. Likewise, the original earth was in perfect balance. It didn’t rain but there was a mist that went up and watered the whole earth (Genesis 2:5-6). Everything was perfect.

But all of that changed when man rebelled at God. Now we live in a fallen world where things aren’t perfect. If an animal kills a person, God didn’t do it, the animal did. This could be traced back to man’s original sin but not always to an individual’s sin. Mankind set the animal creation at odds with us. And if a natural disaster happens, we are the ones who set the whole course of nature on fire (James 3:6).

Through Jesus, we have been reconciled back to God (2 Corinthians 5:19) and with that comes authority and power. But it’s not automatic. We have to believe and exercise our power and authority. I’ve prayed and seen weather, including hurricanes, change. I’ve taken authority over animals and I’ve seen miraculous healings. We aren’t just helpless in this fallen world.

But it takes knowledge and persistence to grow and develop our God given authority to the point of making a difference on all the ungodliness that has been unleashed in this world. Jesus exercised His dominion over the forces of nature (Mark 4:39) and so can we (John 14:12).

Although I support helping those who have been devastated by the Haitian earthquakes, (Jamie and I have personally given to their aid), I am constantly moved by the devastation I see in people’s lives daily. It amazes me that when people can see with their eyes the physical effects a natural disaster causes, they respond generously. But the devastating effects of sin and ignorance are all around us daily. I’m moved just as much to help those who are struggling to cope with the loss of a loved one or trying to figure out why they haven’t seen their prayers answered.

We all pray the Lord will comfort those who have been left homeless and lost loved ones in Haiti. We pray those who don’t know the Lord will turn to Him in this time of crisis and find Him to be their source of strength. I also pray the Lord will help us to see that everyone who doesn’t know the Lord is hurting just as much as those who have been affected by the Haitian earthquakes. They may not realize their need as much as those in Haiti, and therein lies the problem. God make us all vessels to represent You to a lost world.

I wondered why sin in general is really so important for everyone because I, and I assume with me most people, feel relatively doing okay compared to those who steal, lie or maybe even worse; hurt or possible even murdered somebody. Then I a heard a comparison that struck me and opened my eyes;

“A Christian who likes to make the statement he/she hardly ever sins compared to a Christian who asks God on a daily basis to forgive his/her sins are like someone wearing black pants for days before putting on a clean one because it still looks okay compared to someone wearing white paints for only one day because it clearly has a stain.

The only way to see the real difference between the pants is revealed when you hold them up against a bright light….. the real difference between both Christians is revealed by God ‘s light shining in their heart…..”

Sin isn’t necessarily defined as having something done everyone would condemn but goes much further, much deeper. The actual translation of sin from the Hebrew scripture means “missing the plan and purpose of God with your life”.

Now you might not know exactly what Gods detailed plan with specifically your life is (yet), but the most important commandment for every Christian, mentioned in the Bible twice (Deut 6:5 & Mark 12:30) is:

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.”

To my believe these verses reflect the most important basics of God’s word, the Bible, as a whole; showing unconditional love for the world, based on your experience with Gods unconditional love for you! There’s only one single perfect example on the face of the earth and that’s Jesus!

But how could we ever compare with Him? The answer to that for many people is too simple to accept: we can’t compare… We certainly try to earn our way in to heaven, by doing good works, being nice to others, but still we would never be able to match with Jesus for 100%. The bible says we even sin if we don’t do what we know we ought to do (James 4:17)!! That criterium most certainly will place us all on the wrong site of the line!

But because God loved the world so much He found a solution for that; The only one without even the smallest stain of sin, His son Jesus, traded His innocence for our guilt once for all and took the punishment we actually would deserve (Hebrews 7:27).

If we believe this enormous gift and accept it, God’s mercy will never give us what we should deserve (punishment) and His grace will give us what we shouldn’t deserve; an eternal relationship with our Father in heaven!

It’s not the amount of sin which determines whether we go to heaven or not, the question is: “Do we accept Jesus’ sacrifice and believe it?”

Especially in times of disaster and tragedy people all over the world seem to unite, denominations fade, cultural habits, ways of thinking and even racial and religion differences vanish.

Why is that? This question has and still keeps bothering my mind….

On the other hand, whenever the world is relatively “at peace” we start looking for reasons to focus on our individual well-being, stand for our cultural inheritance, the way “our group”, whether based on race, religion, neighborhood and even church, is being treated or rather mistreated by the “others”.

Somehow we never seem to be able to find a balance between the urge to fight each other and love each other.

One of the possible explanations for this peculiar attitude keeps popping up in my mind; we all know what it means to be hurt without a explainable reason or cause, we all long for comfort and support whenever we’re being treated wrong and we all long for someone or somebody understanding our hurt and pain with the ability to get us through these times in our lives.

On a more individual basis worldwide we might have different judgments or ideas about hurt people experience like handicaps, diseases, accidents or psychological pain through neglect or divorce. Some cultures accept some of these pains as justified in the light of how the individual or his/her family has been living his/their life and in some case we don’t even seem to bother because the individual belongs to a group deserving this wrath…. but a full scale disaster like the 2004 Tsunami or the recent earthquake in Haïti is different… we ALL feel this is unjust and that’s what unites us all!

Almost immediately we also try to find answers and one of the things we tend to question is the existence of an almighty God, a God permitting something like this to happen….. and so do I.

A more or less uniform religious answer is to state that we live in a fallen world ruled by satan but that doesn’t give me an answer on why little children are dying nor why innocent people have to be hit this hard… If God really is almighty, why couldn’t He prevent things like this to occur? I also can’t believe that a loving God who gave His only begotten Son to be sacrificed for our sins is punishing people by this so called “act of God”. If this was to be true, it would be an insult to the sacrifice of Christ once for all mankind. Not finding a justification often brings us to the opposite; a total rejection of God. One way or the other, the “Why” question is a dilemma I haven’t figured out (yet) but there must be a way to explain why things like this happen and why obviously all people can be effected. If there is a God He will know, but why is it so hard for me, for us, to understand His role?

But who am I to even start a discussion with the Almighty about what is right or wrong, or why disasters like this happen? I then feel like Job who tried to do the same but eventually was silenced by God speaking to him in Job 38-41, trying to explain the difference between what Job really knew compared to the knowledge, capabilities and reasoning of God.

This leaves me with still so many unanswered questions and I just can’t do anything else but hold on to my faith, knowing my sense of reality is so limited by what I see, hear, feel or taste compared to Gods reality; unlimited by time nor space and then I feel small….. very, very small.

In the end of the day it all comes down to two options; either God doesn’t exist and we all just are subject of circumstances. The other option is that we as humans by far will never be able to comprehend the reasoning of God within His perspective.

I’ll stick to the last one and hold on to His word, to His unfailing, unconditional and everlasting love and to what I know He has done for me in the past, trusting and hoping some day we will meet and things will be revealed to me.

Have you ever known people who accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior but still spoke, thought, and behaved the same way they did before they got saved? This scenario is not uncommon among Believers. Many times, certain behaviors are attributed to a person needing a spirit cast out of him, when, in reality, the issue is that he has not renewed his mind in a particular area. Mind renewal is the key to living a successful life as a Christian, as well as overcoming the mindsets that keep us bound in ungodly lifestyles.

As a pastor and counselor, I have encountered numerous people who struggle with addictions and all sorts of habits they just cannot seem to break. They are in torment because they know these things are wrong according to the Word of God, but they just can’t seem to find the brakes to stop. To them, change is an unattainable goal.

Whenever I see someone who is born again, but is actively engaged in a lifestyle or habit that goes against the Word, I immediately know their mindset is the problem. They have to change their thinking to line up with what God says about the situation. Without this vital step in the process of Christian development, it is impossible to see lasting change

Galatians 5:16 says something so powerful that we all need to understand and apply to our lives on a daily basis, “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.” First, we must understand what it means to walk in the Spirit. When we walk in the Spirit, we have a mindset that lines up with God’s Word. It is thinking that is sound and subjected to God’s way of doing things. Walking in the flesh is the exact opposite. To walk in the flesh means to have a way of thinking that goes against the Word of God. For example, a “fleshy” mindset is one that believes having sex outside the context of marriage is okay. It is a wrong way of thinking. Walking in the Spirit in this area involves thinking that is in line with the Word, which says marriage is the only framework inside which sexual activity is acceptable.

It is critical to understand that the mind is the control center of our lives. Our dominant thought patterns and beliefs will inform and shape our behavior. Unfortunately, before coming to the knowledge of Jesus Christ, most of us picked up a lot of wrong thinking from our environment, whether it was from family, friends, television, or some other source.

But when we become born again, we must enter into the most important part of our walk with God—renewing our minds. Romans 12:1, 2 says we are not to be conformed to the world, but we are to be transformed by the renewing of our minds so that we can demonstrate and prove the perfect will of God. Isn’t it exciting to know that renewing your mind has the power to absolutely transform your entire life? You can break any habit or behavior by making a quality decision to renew your mind daily through the meditation and study of God’s Word.
Renewing the mind is not a one-time event, but it is an ongoing process that must continue for the rest of our lives. We can renew our minds to the point where even our subconscious thoughts and automatic responses become aligned with the Word of God. When mind renewal takes place on this subconscious level, we are actually renewing the spirit of our minds (Ephesians 4:21-23). This is the depth of transformation every Believer should aspire to achieve because it is the pathway to genuinely changing our behavior.

You may be thinking your situation is so bad that you simply cannot change. I want to give you some good news today—you can! First, ask God to give you the desire to want to change. That’s right, you have to want to want change first. Then, make a commitment to the process. Find a scripture in the Bible that deals with the area you are dealing with and make it a priority to meditate on that scripture until it is more real to you than what you are going through. When you begin to think, speak, eat, and breathe the Word of God, you will begin to live it. When you find your decisions aligning with God’s Word, you will know renewing your mind is paying off!